


Project Dread Tale

by McCrystalKitty



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, I started writing this during the first demo and it shows, It became a mess near the end, Writing Exercise, ahah was was demo me thinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 00:46:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15449610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McCrystalKitty/pseuds/McCrystalKitty
Summary: An attempt at intertwining the Travelers plots together.





	Project Dread Tale

 

**Olberic….**

Just two men left standing in battle in the darkness of a cave. Gaston and I were in the final stretches of battle. I was sure he was almost down, I hoped he was almost down, I wasn’t sure I could take another hit. 

“WATCH THIS PHILIP!” I yelled, concentrating my strength. Gripping my pole arm tightly, I hit Gaston. He stepped back a bit dazed, defenses down. This was it, the final blows. “MY BLADE IS UNBENDING!” I shout while delivering the final four strikes to the scoundrel that had kidnapped Philip. 

The bandit was now on one knee. He grinned. 

“Your blade is unbending? Ha! Now I get it.”

“Get what?”

“The fire in your eyes when I said Ernheart’s name? Your Sir Olberic Eisenberg are ye?” I did not reply. “If you want to find Ernheart  go find my old sparring pal, Gustav, up North from here victors hollow, if anyone could tell you he could. But I won’t tell ya anymore, because it won’t be useful if your dead!” Gaston got up with his sword in hand and charged me. By reflex I attempted to doge, which only allowed him to graze my chest. I countered with a blow to his back, leaving that man collapsed on the ground. 

I had sliced the throat of Gaston, out of breath.That not-just-a-bandit had gotten a few good hits on me. Any remaining goons of his scattered after their leader lay dead on the ground. It felt good, it had been far too long since I had used my blade for real combat. I clenched my fist in triumph, with each battle I grew stronger and this one made me feel more alive than I’d felt in a long time. 

I wished I did not have to kill the bandit, but after Gaston had realized I was Sir Eisenberg, he refused to back down even when already beaten. At the very least I was to find Ernheart, Sir Gustav was the person I must find, that was my only lead I needed to head to the Frostlands. 

“Now then,let head back home Philip.” I begin to walk the way out of the cave. Philip followed after, his voice chattering. 

“Your a real knight!? Why didn’t you tell us all this before?! What’s it like being a knight? Did you get to shake hands with a real king? Have you ever rescued a princess?” 

I smiled, his questions were amusing, I remembered when I was young and used to be as energetic as this. 

“Yes I have saved a princess.” 

“WOAH. your the real deal Berg!” 

“Mr. Berg!” two of the watchmen I had told to stay at the village ran up to us as we’d just exited the cave. They looked beaten battered and covered in ash. Smoke rose in the distance, it was the village.

“Berg-berg, th-the village.” One of them tried to tell me what happened, but I didn’t listen I was already full speed going down to the village. 

When I reached my heart throbbed, pounding as if it was going to jump out of my chest. Everything was on fire, there were bodies on the ground and broken glass as if every window had been busted. I began to search through every pile of rubble if there was any one alive under it. After finding the fifth dead body of a child I stopped looking.

Panic coursed through my body, my mind was racing. This couldn't be happening, it was just some bad dream. I was shaking, what man could have done all of this, Gaston was still dead in the cave, there was no way some second-rate bandits did all of this damage in the few hours I was gone. 

“Mr.Berg! *Cough* Berg!” Philips voice rang through crackling flames. “Berg!”  
“Philip!” I called out. Why had he come here? What was he thinking? “Where are you?”

“Over here!” His voice came from a broken building nearby, I ran over and once within reach I picked him up and began to run. “Ahhh! what are you doing?”

“You shouldn’t have come here! And we must escape, someone very strong must have done this, and I do not wish for you to get hurt or worse!” An inkling of who committed this heinous crime had already clawed its way into my head, but I prayed it wasn’t true. I dashed in a direction, I wasn’t sure what direction I was going, but as long as I kept to the path, I would be out eventually. 

Flames started to clear away as the desert sands became more visible. Which meant I had gone left, away from the caves. I accidently drop Phillip as a sharp jolt of pain hits the lower right half of my chest. I look down and see and arrow had stuck my side. 

Philip gasps. “Mr.Berg…”

“I’m fine, it’s just one arrow.GRHRK!” another arrow hits close to the other, I can hear a voice in the distance. Not wanting to wait and find out who it belongs to, I grab Phillip by the hand and run again. With all my strength and stamina, I was able to run far enough into the dessert that I no longer see the village, only the black cloud of smoke coming from it.

Blood still drains out of the arrows, I’m tired and my world is beginning to melt. Philip says something about removing the arrows, I tell him not to. Over to the right there is a small little hole that would block the harsh desert winds. We head over to there, I collapse, my wounds from Gaston had barely healed and now there were two new holes in my body. 

“Berg!!!!” Philip calls out to me.

“I-i'm to old from this…” I tell him before drifting off. 

  
  
  


**Primrose…..**

 

_ One last dance…. _ The last words of an evil man slain by my hands righteously so. Next man on my  hit list was one of the three crows, they went off into the desert, most likely heading west. I ran that way, thank goodness because off east there looked as if there was some sort of fire. Monsters were in the area and every ten to twenty minutes or so I stopped to battle, which was tedious and annoying. The winds were fierce today, sand was getting in my thin clothing and I felt like I was baking in the heat. 

During a fight with some desert monster I heard a sound, it wasn’t that of a monster. But what sounded like crying. After killing the monster I began to track the noise, it lead me to a small hole within a rock formation and a child in it. 

He looked as if he’d been crying for a very long time, he also looked very young. Below his was a large man, he looked about forty, in brown leather tunic and black combed back hair that was messy and sweaty. He had two arrows in his  lower part of his stomach and a dried gash near his right shoulder.

I am not used to dealing with children, especially crying children. The only children I’ve ever really seen well are babies. But I have little experience with babies and Helgenish never let us keep them. Even so I kneel down and try to softly talk to him. 

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“N-no, i'm fine, i'm okay.” he said through choked sobs. 

“What happened?”

“some-my village..got destroyed, he got m-me out, but he got hit by arrows, I-think he’s dea- dying.” I looked down at the man's face,  eyes closed and overly relaxed, as if he was no longer able to control it. 

“Is this your father?” the way I said that sounded a bit to threaten, I hope the child didn’t pick up on that. There was a small bout of silence between two of them.

“Yes…” the boy squeaked out. His voice made me choke a little, I saw myself in him so at that point there was no way I couldn’t help him. 

“Take this….” I handed him a grape. “It’s special and has healing properties, it should help for now, but I will go find someone to help you, My name is Primrose.”

“Alright, and thank you miss Primrose.” the boy put the grape in the mans mouth. I decided to continue northwest, I knew there was a town beyond the dessert, there must be someone there that can help him. 

Minutes of monster battles and desert sang getting in my clothes later, I finally made it to the town beyond the desert. Riverlands was it name and the townspeople were nice and welcoming, despite my clothes and demonor. It made me feel at home despite never have living her before.  

After asking around I was told of a miracle worker in the town named Alfyn, if I could find this Alfyn man I could save that boy’s father. A strange old woman in the graveyards told me where the apothecary lives, I made my way to his house immediately.

I knocked on the door and a man with blonde hair pale skin and green clothing opened the door. The area around his eyes were red as if he’d been crying. His face sunken and sullen, like he hadn’t slept in days.

“Yes?” he said, his voice sounding very young but he didn’t look much younger than her. 

“If i'm not bothering you, I need help, a boys father is dying in the desert and I need someone that can heal him.”

“Dying?” who I assumed was Alfyn though for a moment, he sighed. “Alright then? Before we leave do we know what’s wrong with him?”

“He has stab wounds, and may be getting heat stroke from lying in the desert for so long.”

“Stab wounds in heat stroke?” he stroked his chin. “Oh thank god.” he says under his breath but not quiet enough for me not to hear. I didn’t want to question what that meant as I needed this to be over quickly. “Give me a moment.” he went into the house and came back out with a box and another person. “This is Zeph, he’ll be helping us out.” 

“Heyo!” zeph smiled, this man also looked very tired, it must have been a long day.

“Alright then, follow me.” 

I lead the men to the spot in the dessert, a couple of monsters jumped us, but me and Alfyn with Zeph occasionally jumping in, were able to take them out easy. Thankfully there weren't many, I wouldn’t forgive myself if that boys father died because I was preoccupied with a scorpion. 

“Primrose!” the boy says as he sees us approaching. Alfyn and Zeph run ahead to him and the man, quickly putting bandages on the man and admistring elixirs. The boy’s father begins to cough, which means he was still alive, my heart relaxes, I could rest easy now. 

“Hey primrose! We need your help here, hold up his legs.” Alfyn calls me to help lift the man up. “Young man? You said you name was Philip right? This is your dad right?” Zeph asks.

“Hun? Oh yeah! Yeah that is my father.” 

“Then don’t you worry, he’s in good hands.” Zeph smiles at him, use three then pick him up

carrying him back to Clearbrook. Once back and the man laying on the bed, I sat down needing to rest. Now it was time to think about the real elephant in the room. How was I supposed to pay for the medical fees? Unless the unconscious man had money, but considering what happened to his village it was unlikely. 

“Alfyn, Zeph….” I say their names to catch their attention. “I don’t have any money, put I can repay you in another way.” Red flushed faces as a response let me know that they got my point. 

“No no no no no!” Alfyn swings his arms around. “His damage isn’t all that hard to heal! Really, if you don’t have money it won’t cost you a thing.” my mouth was agape at his kindness. This sort of thing would never happen in sunshades. 

“Really?” 

“Of course. You shouldn’t have to whore yourself to live.” I turned around in shame. Even though it was blunt he still said every words kindly. 

“T-thank you Alfyn.”

“Your welcome Primrose.” I hold back a flustered face, he was sorta cute.”

“Well then, Philip, Alfyn Zeph and...what is his name boy?” My question was directed at philip.

“Berg! Berg o-Olien!” 

“Philip Alfyn, Zeph and Berg, I must be on my way, I wish you all well.”

“Wait your not gonna stay here until he wakes up?” Zeph asks.

“Ha! I do not know this man and I have business to attend to, he will be fine without me. I must be on my way.”  

“Thank you again Miss Primrose.” Philip run up and hugs me. I was shocked by the sudden display of affection, but who was I if I didn’t hug back?

Soon after I left Clearbrook and continued to head North, my next stop was Bolderfall.

It was a lengthy journey from the Riverlands, and had me traverse through more warm cliffs. Once I finally made it through hyends, birds and armadillos I was finally in Bolderfall. I was so tired at this point that I decided to rest at the local inn, I had found a couple of coins along that way any they were able to cover the fee. 

Collapsing on the bed I rolled over and practically hugged the soft nice smelling sheets. It was the first time in years I’d slept in a good bed without having sex before hand. It was a lovely feeling, so much so I drifted of nearly instantly. Having a pleasant dream about my father, and that berg man having tea. 

  
  
  


 

**Olberic….**

 

**_‘_ ** _ Flowers.. The room smells like flowers.’  _  was my first thought when waking up in a place I didn't recognize. I turn my head left, face to face with a cedarwood wall. I turn my head right, and see Philip sleeping on sheets covered with a nicely quilted blanket. In the far corner of the room there was a man with a small pony tail sitting at a desk reading a book while surrounded by vials and bottles. 

‘What was I doing before?’ was my second thought. All the memories of the things that happened prior to now flooded back. Philip getting kidnapped, Gaston, and the village burning. I clenched my teeth in anger. I failed again, in one victory there was a loss, just as before. I was ripped out of my flashback by the man slamming his hands on his table in frustration. 

“Dang it!” he mumbles. “Why…” his voice sounds shaky.

“Are you alright?” I say to him, now sitting upright.

“Oh! You startled me.” he whispers. “Keep it down Philip is sleeping. How are you feeling?”

“Fine and I should ask you the same, what’s going on?”

“Nothing really, just trying to figure out some old recipe, but me and my friend fixed you up, if that lady Primrose hadn’t found us so quickly you would’ve died out there.” 

“Primrose?’ I did not know anyone with that name, but some stranger saved me, I had to thank her. “Where is primrose?” 

“She left, said she had business to attend to, but she hoped you recovered well.”

“How long has it been?” 

“This is your second night here, if that’s what you mean.” The man tell me. I'm a bit shaken, two night out cold, that's two days of not searching for Ernhart, two days of Philip worrying for me. 

“Oh.” was all I could muster out. 

“My name is Alfyn and i'm an apothecary, you should really rest longer, it only a few hours till morning, I should hit the hay as well.” 

“Okay.” I lay back down in the bed. Alfyn says goodnight as he enters another room. Though he told me to get some rest, I wasn’t able to. Instead I layed for hours, wide awake and mind racing. Once the sun started to shine through the door I got up and went out of the building. 

I was in a small town, it looked as if I was in the Riverlands, which was good, I’m not too far away from my village. A sweet smell serenaded my nose, it was coming from a merchant who had some baked good. Buying a couple of plumbs and some bread I ate a nice breakfast, then I bought the same things to give to Philip later. I sold some of the extraneous things that were in my pocket and received 6000 for them all. 

Next I went over to the general store and bought myself a bag, then headed back to the building I was sleeping in. Back inside I see that Alfyn was awake and eating gritz and milk for breakfast. 

“Hey big guy! I was wondering where you were.”

“Do not call me big guy young man, my name is Berg.” 

“Yeah, I know your son told me, it’s just a nickname relax.” 

“Son?” I assumed Alfyn meant Philip, it was a fair assumption, and there was no reason for him to say otherwise at the moment. “Is Philip okay?”

“Oh yeah he’s completely fine, he had so much fun yesterday with Zeph sister and her friends. He’s a huge sweetheart and though he was worried about you he acted so strong in front of me and the girls. Like a knight!!” 

“Yes he is like that.” I cringed internally, he was acting like me in my absence. “Here you go Alfyn.” I hand him a sack, it’s filled with coins. “That is for your services.” 

“Oh! Thank you very much.” he took that coins from me. “ you wanna talk? I don’t have any patients I need to attend to currently.”

“No, I must go, as Philip may have told you, my village was attacked, I am going to find that man that did it and take him down.” 

“B-but you just recovered! Isn’t that dangerous?” 

“Yes… but it must be done, i’ll be fine, I know how to fight and handle myself.”

“If that’s what you want, then I can’t stop you.” there was a bout of silence between us. 

“Well then.” I move over to Philip and wake him up, he turns over in frustration like any child would when tired. 

“Just a little longer ma’.”

“Actually it’s pa’.” I say smirking, the boy quickly turns over eyes agape.

“Berg!” he looks like he’s about to burst into tears. 

“Yes it’s me, and i'm sorry to suddenly push this on you but I must go.” I had to find Ernheart as soon as possible, Clearbrook looked like a nice safe place for philip to stay. 

“W-what! But you just woke up! You can’t go, i'm not ready to leave!” 

“I know, and your not leaving, you will stay here, in the inns, I have enough money for you to stay for at least two weeks, if i'm gone any longer then find some way to make money here.” 

“No way!” Alfyn buts in. “He can stay with Zeph! He wouldn’t mind!”

“Who is Zeph?” I reply.

“My friend, he the one with the little sister, he helped you recover” 

“Zeph, any person that help a man in need is a friend of mind, take Philip to Zeph, I’ll be off.” I turned to leave but Alfyn grabbed my hand. 

“You will take Philip to Zeph!” his voice sounded angry. “If your going to leave your on the least you can do is say goodbye.” his voice choked. Such a strong statement coming from him left me questioning what exactly was going on with this man. Nevertheless I did what he said and followed him to Zeph’s house with Philip. The young boy clinged to me the whole time, even when at the door he still held on. 

“Can’t I go with you?” he asks.

“No it’s too dangerous. But I won’t be gone for long Philip, I promise.” 

“And I’ll make sure of it.” Alfyn says.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m coming with, you could use someone like me on your journey, and plus, I need to leave town as well, there’s something I need to find, we could help each other.” 

“You’re leaving Alfyn?” Zeph says. 

“Yep, it’s time for adventure.”

“This isn’t some silly little adventure, this is a serious manhunt. You could get hurt!” I say angered at this fool.

“And what happened to you a couple of days ago? If Primrose didn’t helped you, you wouldn’t be even alive right now, so i'm definitely coming.” He smiles valiantly. I sigh, it looks like i’m not going to shake him off.

“Fine. a army is better and one man, you may follow.” 

“Alright!”

**_Alfyn joined the party._ **

I say my final goodbyes to Philip and Zeph before heading out of Clearbrook back through the desert. I thought of going back to Cobbleston but instead I think to head north east, through Sunshade. I would have known if Ernheart came through Clearbrook, which must mean he went that way. 

We stayed in Sunshade for a night, and in the morning us two enjoyed the exotic foods and people living there. There was a group of ladies dressed in green, standing outside a building in a state of distress. I couldn’t help but listen in on their awfully loud conversation. 

“GRR that dreadful girl! Always having to cause trouble.”

“What are we supposed to do now? Starve?”

“Primrose will pay for this.” what the last girl said piqued our interest so I went over to talk to them.

“You know Primrose?” I ask.

“If your looking for a good time she’s gone, but if you want to hang out with me i'm willing to do anything for you sir.”

“No.. no, It’s fine.” I quickly got the idea of what these girls and Primrose were all about and did not want to push any further. 

Me and Alfyn soon left sunshade and headed for the town up north. Judging from the map the next was the port town Rippletide.

  
  
  


**Primrose…**

 

I had just about asked everyone around town about the three crows. No one, not even the barkeep who supposedly knew everything had any idea of who I meant. I wasn’t going to brought down by the fact, the next town on the map, Flamesgrace might have some answers. It was nearby the marked spot which must mean there was a pathway there. 

Northwest was the  way there, I just had to get through a pleasant forest. In the woods I hear rustling, animal groans and the soft breeze flow through the air. Tranquil is how i’d describe the area, beyond a few monsters it was more or less peaceful, it’s surprising that there is no sort of town here or anything. 

My stomach growls, so I go to a nearby tree and open my sack for some food. Except, it’s not there, in fact nothings there, my sack is empty.  _ ‘What the hell?’   _ I stood up panicked. No food no money and not warm clothes for Flamesgrace.  _ ‘This can’t be happening’   _ my sack doesn't have any holes, so nothing would have fallen out, maybe during a fight with a monster it dropped. Now I had to backtrack through the woods, alongside checking everywhere for my things. 

I went forward and back, nearly entering Boulderfall again nothing nowhere. I walked back through the woods defeated, my adventure couldn’t end this early. I had no way to make money besides the one thing Alfyn said I should’t do. 

A noise somewhere far off, alerted me. It sounded like a groan, but not an animal groan, a human voice. I move towards it swiftly and quietly, when I reach the bushes the person is hiding in, I see a young man with green eyes, white hair, purple scarf and robes coving his figure,sitting in the buses, eating grapes,  _ my grapes _ . 

“ARRGHHH THIEF!” I yell as I jump him. We tussle in the bushes until i’ve pinned him down.

“THE HELL LADY?”

“Those are my things you dirty thief.”

“Yeah and now thier mine!” he says shoving the last of the dirt covered grapes into his mouth.

“I need those!”  
“I need it more lady! You win some you lose some.”

“Where is my cash? And clothes.” 

“And why would I tell you that?”

“I will slice your throat.” I pull out my dagger.

“Whoa whoa! Okay okay, I sold your clothes for more cash, you happy.”  
“YOU WHAT?” 

“It was only worth like 3000, I thought you were a noble but it just looks like you like to dress fancy, and in reality your a street rat.” the man smirked, he thought this was funny, he knew nothing of my quest and just greatly impeded on my journey without even realizing. 

“My father was killed by the three crows when I was a child, I was left out on the streets and picked up by dirty man who forced me to be a dancer in sunshade, and that I did for 10 long years until I finally crossed path with the three crows again, I killed my master after he stabbed my only friend and headed north to follow the three crows. As you can see i'm not exactly dressed fro flames grace which is my next destination, and I had very little money on me, you just ruined my quest for vengeance and unless you want this to end ugly i’d suggest you give me my money back now.” I grinded my teeth and raise my dagger.

“You only caught me because I let my guard down, I have a lot going on as well, I ain’t gonna give you your cash back but how bout’ something much more helpful than cash.”

“What could you possibly give me?”

“The three crows guys? I know em’.” 

“You- you what?” 

“Yeah, I know where one of them are, and if you kill me you’ll never get that information.” 

“Tell me and then i’ll get off of you.”

“ughh , alright, they went to Stillsnow, beyond Flamesgrace. I saw one of the dudes in Bolderfall talking to the barkeep”

“Stillsnow? I don’t know where that is.” 

“Oh well, now get off of me!” 

“No! You will take me to stillsnow and I will forget all of your crimes.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal, and plus I really have better business to attend to.”

“Then you will take me there quickly and we will both move on in life.” I look him in the eyes. His face read many different shades of anger, before relaxing again.

“Why me….Okay, let’s go.” 

He gets up and we start our journey through Stillsnow. Our walk out of the woodland was quiet, but I didn’t mind. There was no way I was going to speak with some petty thief. As we walked I noticed some things about him, he looked pretty pale, and malnourished, like he hadn’t eaten properly. One of his arms had some sort of grey band around it, along with scars and scratch marks. I felt like I recognized that sort of band, but I just couldn’t recall what it meant. If the thief was willing to open up I could possibly inquire about it later. 

“Hey before we leave the woodlands, what is your name thief?”

“You first.”

“Primrose.”

“Hmm..nice name.”

“Thank you.” there was another long bout of silence. “Are you going to tell me yours?”

“Why should I? You won’t kill me if I don’t you need me.”

“Just so I don’t have to refer to you as thief the whole time.”

“I don’t mind. Plus I don’t really trust you, for all I know, I’d tell you my name and then you report me to some Frostlands police.”

“And for all I know you could be leading me to a death trap but I still give you the benefit of the doubt. Did you not hear my tale, I gain nothing from reporting you to the police, they’d just confiscate my money anyways.”

“Your right, the bastards help no one but themselves.” 

“So true.”

“My name is Therion, Primrose, don’t memorize it.”

“Oh I assure you I won’t”

  
  
  


**Olberic….**

Rippletide smell of salt and potato, a strange combination but it made it feel country like. 

It was bright and shining midday and the town looked so cheery. Except for all the boxes and carts knocked over and broken windows. Alfyn and I looked at each other in confusion, the townspeople looked fine, children were playing out in the messy streets. It was as if a tornado had struck the port town and the people just ignored it. 

A couple of merchants came up to us two trying to sell us some wares. It was a man and a woman both with feathers in their hats holding up jewelry and bread. 

“No thank you we don’t want to buy anything.” I tell them.

“But don’t you want to help us poor souls, some pirates raided and tried to take everything, but our daughter Tressa stopped them! And now she’s gone. Our villages a mess don’t you see? And this is the only time you can buy pirate's booty for such a low price!” the woman says all to happily.

“Your daughter is gone?” Alfyn questions. “What happened to her?”

“Oh she’s just over there.” the man pointed over to the pier. “She’s gonna become the greatest merchant in the world!!” he smiled proudly. I looked down at the pier and all I see is some sort of fight brewing. 

“Let's head over there Alfyn.” the two of us push past the merchants and all the other strange towns people trying to distract us with menial things and make it down to where the fight is happening. Ice was all over the ground on the dock and it was much colder down here than it was in town. No one else on the pier took any mind to what was going on, and rather kept doing their usual routine. Although there was a ship setting sail and a man running down the dock yelling after it. He had black hair, black and gold robes, white shirt with a black vest and black and gold boots, and jumped off the doc over the ocean.

A book in his hand glowed brightly as he yelled something aloud and ice shot up from the ocean. On top of the ice he was able to reach the boat and jump on, which attracted what I could assume were pirates to corner him.

“Aflyn lets go!” I start running towards the ice pillar climbing to the top as quickly as possible. Once there we both had to make a risky jump, the boat was farther away now it was now or never. We jumped and only I was able to grab onto a rope hanging from the side of the boat. Alfyn fell but I caught him last second with my arm. “Whew! You okay there.”

“Yeah! Just pull me up.” I did just that, throwing him over me and onto the top deck of the ship. “So why are we on this ship?”

“Because what if the pirates that raided the village work under Ernheart?”

“That is very unlikely, but okay.” 

“Get down someone's coming.”  we duck behind some boxes as three people walk past.

A man with blonde hair and blue robes walks by, his dementors is inviting but I could sense a threatening ambiance coming from him. Two people dressed as your average pirate trail behind him both chattering with him. 

“We got tha magic dude locked up in the bottom of the ship, and the girle is in your room.”

“Good, is someone there to keep an eye on her?” the blonde hair man said.

“Yeah yeah! Brody’s keepin’ watch, but Capin’ Leo can you believe swindling this entire town was this easy?” 

“Of course, that’s what happens when you come to some hick country side town, they don’t have many riches but it’s easy to still, and sometimes you find something else of interest.” Leon remarks. 

“Haha! when ya don’ with that girl can we hav a turn wit her?” the other pirate says.

“No, she is mine, we will stop at another town, I hear there is some maidens up in flamesgrace.”

“What they like?.....” 

The three of them then get too far for me to hear the rest of the conversation, but I now knows what we had to do.

“We need to get to the bottom of the deck and rescue the mage, the three of us can then save the girl.” I whisper to Alfyn.

“Got it!”  

“Got what?” the pirate captain leo had materialized behind us. Both of us swiveled around in shock. It was a matter of seconds until we were thrown into the prison deck. A beefy looking pirate who I assumed was Brody laughs and taunts us in the cage. 

Underneath the top deck of the ship was a prison deck plus cargo storage. The two of them were caged in with boxes that kept sliding back and forth. The man they were attempting to save had place a wall of ice around him so boxes didn’t hit him, laugh every time a large box would slam into Alfyn. 

“Hey! Quit laughing, we got on this ship to save you ya know!”

“And that clearly worked out well didn’t it?” 

“Well you see-”

“It doesn't matter anyways, me getting caught was all apart of the plan, if you guys hadn’t meddled in my plans I would’ve gotten out faster.” 

“What was your plan?” I ask him.

“Stand back and I show you.”

Me and alfyn scooch ourselves as far as possible from him, he stood up and held his book in hand. With one swift movement his arm went up and a fireball shot up through the roof creating a hole in the ceiling and setting to wooden boat on fire.  “Let’s head up okay, this boat won’t stay afloat for much longer.” He lifts himself with ice, Alfyn follows after. 

“Whut tha heck?” Brody panics.

“Goodbye you brutish oaf.” I say joining the two above.  Above the ship everything was on fire and the sun was beginning to set creating a lovely orange glow that faded into the purple painting esque sky.

There was no sign of the mage anywhere on the deck, Alfyn was in a brawl with a pirate and I helped him throw the man overboard. Smoke entered my lungs, we had to get off soon, but where was the mage, and the girl? A few more pirates came and jumped us, all fairly easy fights. Suddenly a knife grazed Alfyn’s hair, a blade coming from the fire in which we couldn’t see who held it. 

It came for me next, I ducked down as it launched towards me with great force, someone had thrown the cutlass. A new blade came from behind, I jumped back again, Accidentally slamming into Alfyn. Burly arms grabbed my throat, I gripped back trying to pull the arms of my throat. 

“Ya think ya can just destroy out shit jut like that hun?” the voice says. 

“Not if my boy makk has anything to say ‘bout it!” antoher higerpicthed but male voice says from behind me.

“Shut up Mikk.” Makk yells back. “Just snap the fairy boy like a twig, I got this big guy, he already turning purple!” He cackles whistle I struggle for breath. Air enters my lungs suddenly as the boat trembles causing the man to release my neck and fall over. 

“The boat sinking!.” Someone calls out.

“Abandon ship!” 

“My loot! All out loot!” 

“C’mon guys lets go.” Voices called. 

Out of the flames came the mage holding a limp body in his arms. He shouted at us, I couldn’t exactly hear what over all the flames and panic. I stood up, Alfyn struggled to regain his footing, I had to hold him then run after the mage. 

“On my mark! Jump!” the mage says. 

“What?”

“Now!” he jumps, I jump and we both fall into the water, soon lifted up by an iceberg. The mage collapses and heaves on the top on the iceberg. In his arms is a girl wearing a hat similar to the ones the two adults back at Rippletide did. “Let’s get back now should we?”

“Are you ready? You look tired, and charred.” Alfyn crawls out of my arms. “I am too…” he takes deep shuddering breaths. 

“I’m fine, you can ask your friend thier if you can ride on his back if your tired.” the mage says with a smile. Alfyn turns bright red. 

“No! I'm not tired, i'm an adventurer!” 

The two continue to back and forth as we walk back to shore on a path made of ice. As we reached a new town Atlasdam it was now night. Since we had no idea where the girls home was all four of us stayed in the inn. Because we had all walked in together, the innkeep had placed us all in one room with two beds and brought in one extra bed.

I quickly corrected the mistake and the mage and the girl went to another room. My sleep that night was deep, our adventure today was far more intense the the past couple of weeks and had taken a toll on my old body. In the morning I woke to a cinnamon smell. Alfyn had made flapjacks with a fire stone and a iron pan and coated them with cinnamon, covered fresh fruit. 

“I’d knew you wake up to the smell of fresh food! Take yours, it’s getting cold.” he had a plate next to me. 

Sweet strawberry with tasty plums made breakfast all too delectable and comfortable in the inn. But I had to put my comfortableness aside and make quick haste for the Frostlands. Once I was done eating me and Alfyn headed out. Something caught my eye once we were in the lobby of the inn, the girl we had rescued from the ship was sitting there, alone and distressed while talking to a innkeep.

I walk over and ask him what the problem was. 

“This girl was trying to leave without paying!”

“I told you I don’t know how I got here! I don’t know where I am! I don’t have money anymore because pirates stole it from me!”

“Can you believe her sir?”

“She’s telling the truth!” I say to the inkeep, she raised an eyebrow at my claim. “I rescued her.”

“What?” the woman tilts her head.

“The pirates are no more, I will pay for her room if it’s that big of a problem.” 

“Yeah I got some extra cash!” Alfyn enters the conversation holding out thirty gold. The inkkeep sneers and walks back behind the counter. 

“Thank you!” the girl jumps up wrapping her arms around me. Her embrace was though, she was a strong one. “You don’t know how freaked out I was, first pirates invade my town, then just as I was about to go and become the greatest merchant in the world this guys kidnaps me! And after that I wake up in a room with some guy I don’t know arms wrapped around me with his shirt half unbuttoned! I was so freaked out I ran outta there!” This girl was talkative, but I enjoyed it, she reminded me of Philip.  

“Guy?...the mage, with black hair?” Anger began to rage through me. 

“Yeah! That guy? Do you know him? Gasp! Are you gonna kidnapp me too?” 

“No, I am a knight not a criminal, I can’t believe that mage would so something...just…”

“Speak of the devil and he shall appear.” Alfyn point behind us as that mage makes his way to the looby. 

“Hello you three! You all woke up without me? Ha! You got somewhere to be?” the mage walk towards the girl, I draw my sword and place it in front of me, bystanders gasped at the sudden aggression. 

“Leave quickly mage, your room is already paid for.” 

“Excuse me?” 

“It means Tressa doesn’t want to talk to you creep.” Alfyn chimed in. 

“Yeah! Wait how did you know my name?” Tressa says to Aflyn. The mage raises his shoulders.

“I don’t understand? I saved you!”

“Heroism is negated if you do something super creepy afterward” Tressa responds.

“What did I do that was creepy?” 

“You slept in the same bed as me! I'm nineteen, I don’t even know you!” the girl fold her arms

“So?” 

“Your like thirty.”  

“So? It’s not like I was just going to pay for an extra room for some girl” 

“Enough with the back and forth.” I push my sword close as he backs up. “Get out of here, I cannot stand behavior like that from a grown man, If you want to sleep in the same bed as a woman make sure she is your age.” I stare him in the eyes. He scoffs.

“That’s what I get for not having proper foresight, forgive me young lady, goodbye.” The mage heads out the door.

“Wait!” Tressa yells.

“Hun?” 

“What’s your name.”

“Cyrus.” 

“I’ll make sure when I tell my story, I’ll give you an okay word.” She smirked. The mage rolls his smiling and leaves. 

“Well then.” I begin. “Me and Alfyn have to go, make sure you don’t describe me so negatively Miss Tressa.” I hold out my hand for her to shake it, she grips it like a man would and shook furiously. 

“Actually, I don’t really know where I am, do you mind if I tag along?”

“We are not heading to Rippletide, we are going to the town north from here.”

“Even better!” her shaking intensifies. “You see i'm becoming the greatest merchant in the world and to do that I need to travel to every town! So if you're heading somewhere new i’d like to come along!” she finally lets go of my hand and sits on a chair in the lobby. “Unless, you want to leave this poor country bumpkin behind and let her get kidnapped again.” Tressa fake sobs, I look at Alfyn with an annoyed sigh and he just shakes his head.

“Your call leader.” He says, I look back at the girl. 

“Alright.” 

“Yay! Lets go, were losing sunlight as we speak!” Tressa grabs Alfyn’s hand and drags him out of the inn in full sprint.” 

 

**_Tressa  joined the party._ **

  
  


**Primrose…**

  
  


Flamesgrace was chilly, I was so cold as my winter garb was stolen by the unemoting thief who was guiding me to Stillsnow. I tried to hide shivers he told me it wasn’t far to the town, just past here and I’d be able to rest in a nice warm bed at an inn.  _ ‘No way’  _ I think before dashing towards the shop. I got a nice warm cloak that cost 5,000 leaves but felt so much better to be warm than cold. 

“Coward, it’s not even that cold.” the thief raised his scarf and looked down upon me. 

“Snakes are cold blooded so i not surprised you don't find it cold.” 

“Hmph, let’s just get to Stillsnow already.”

Though tired, I agreed with him, I must find the crow, and my time with him was getting tiring, every time I began a conversation it would transform into an argument. 

“Let-”

“THERION.” A loud feminine but rough voice shouts

“Oh god not again.” therion groans 

“beast, standeth thy did grind and square me, nay m're running hence!” the woman with an interesting vocabulary grinds her teeth and holds her axe. 

“Look lady, I don’t know you, for once I didn’t steal anything from you and I don’t want to fight you! Leave me  alone!” therion snaps back. 

“you art what the nobles calleth a grave robb'r, returneth those animal furs yond thee did steal from the dead in the f'rest. ” 

“Animal furs? There gone, sold for about 20,000 leaves.”

“you did sell those folk!? I shall endeth thee! f'r mine own nameth is h'annit!” the woman yells angrily and swings her axe at Therion, he doges gracefully to the left. 

A dagger flys through the air, sling right past her shoulder, causing her to yelp in pain. By now I see the townspeople are freaking out at the fight happening right in the middle of everything. She rolls to avoid another slice from Therion’s dagger and whips out her bow, Aiming right for his leg and hitting near his knee causing him to fall over. Using this opening she gets up with her axe ready to chop in half. 

“OH HOLY LIGHT!” A beam of light comes from the heavens and strikes the woman, she collapses on the ground. A young girl with blond hair a church robes heaves and shakes with fear. 

I run to Therion who is seething at the pain in his knee. I try to remove it but he pushes me away. 

The blonde hair girl runs up to him, before he could react she rips out the arrow and mutters some prayer. The wound heals almost instatly, _ ‘Bring a….t the mir…..th’ _ I think she said, I have to remember or ask later. 

“Police!” she yells. “Police!” 

It was less than a few minutes later that all three of us found ourselves in a holding cell outside the cathedral. The young girl, who from overhearing her and the guards conversation found out names was Opheila, left minutes after. The guard smiled at us and said to wait, that what we did  was not a great offense and we should be out soon. 

One hour passed, Therion had the ugliest scowl on his face, H’annit looked completely agitated, I probably did too, some time ago I was on a quest to avenge my father and one false move recruited a suspicous fellow and now i'm in jail for being associated with him.

“She will pay.” Therion spits out.

“Hun?” H’annit questions. 

“Don’t talk to me.” he turned towards the wall.

“So, H’annit was it?” I turn to the huntress.

“Yes?”

“What’s your story.”

“i am on the hunteth f'r mine own lone hath lost mast'r, that gent did disappear one year ago, but his cousin hast hath returned without that gent. ” 

“Oh, well i'm off to kill the man who kill my father.”

“you people has't a v'ry strange way of speaking, t so basic.” 

“Well not everyone lets saying eth a bunch.”

“what is thy next destination?" 

“Stillsnow.”

“I liketh thee, so i shalt headeth with thee th're”

“Excuse me?”

“thee soundeth liketh a stout square'r, thee has't been kind to me in our first conv'rsation despite the fact i hath tried to killeth thy cousin, and thou art v'ry quite quaint”

“Are you saying i'm pretty?” 

“Aye.”

“Wow..” I blush a little, that was the first time i’ve heard that from a woman in a non derogatory manner. 

**_H’annit  joined the party._ **

 

Soon the guard comes back with Opheila and one other person in toll, a man with black hair and a cloak comes in following her. 

“You may all come out now.” the guard unlocks the door, all three of us file out. “I hope that knocked some sense into your head, don’t go causing trouble again.” 

“C’mon Primrose let's get to still snow and part ways for good.” Therion grasped my arm and dragged me out of the jail, H’annit followed after and the other two trailed behind. The man with black hair grasped his arm and gave him a stare. 

“Now now, is that any way to treat a lady.” 

“Piss off noble.” 

“You… you are a thief aren’t you?”

“What.”

“Not because your down on your luck, but because this was the only path you life had, you are running away from your past because you fear it catching up to you, you spend your days going city to city taking anything you see, but something has happened, since your not in jail you must be a good thief, but judging by the band on your arm, you screwed up, recently too, this band is very tight but your arm doesn't look like it bruised by it.” 

“Dude you a scaring me how the hell do you know all that?” 

“It's just a hunch, i'm well known from scrutinizing people accurately and solving mysteries.”

“So what you're saying is your obnoxious.” I spit back. 

“You young lady are a whore.” his statement was so clean cut I turned white.

“Cyrus!” Ophelia yells.

“No no, i'm serious, look at her clothes, underneath the clock is dancer garb, similar to one worn by woman at brothels, and by looking at her map that she dropped..” he pulls out my map, I searched my clothes, and when not finding it I knew it was the real deal. “She came from sunshade, a town well known for having a large brothel.”

At this point I had enough of the banter I re-grabbed Theiron's arm and ran, I ran way back into town and decided to hide behind a building. H’annit had caught up and hid with us. Al three of us waited until we could no longer hear the voices of Cyrus and Opheilia. I sighed a breath of relief, we could finally make it to still snow in peace. 

“Watcha doing back here.” A girl with a large hat and a feather in it and a fairly huge bag stared down at us.

“Tressa, what are your doing!” Another voice called, it was Alfyn. _ ‘What was he doing here.’  _

“These people are hiding Aflyn.”

“Oh! Hey Primrose, I didn’t we we’d meet again.I thought you were heading to Stillsnow?” Alfyn look at me with a big smile.  

“We were.”Therion stands up. “And your stalling our departure.’

“Who are you?”

“nay m're talking, we needeth to receiveth to still snow” H’annit says.

“You know these people Alfyn? Cause if you do I want to head to stillsnow as well.” Tressa chimes in

“No!” 

“Aflyn, Tressa why are you two talking to a wall.” Olberic had walked into the scene.

“Primrose is here!” Alfyn states.

“Who?”

“The woman who helped you when you were injured.”

“She is!?”

“You just had to be a saint didn’t you?” Therion whispers into my ear.

“Primrose why are you hiding behind a wall?” 

“Because-”

“Mr. Therion, Miss Primrose, Miss H’annit! Please excuse this man’s behavior.” Ophelia yelled into the crowd. “Please come out! We are sorry.”

“There over here!” Alfyn shouts.

“Seriously?!” 

 

The Cleric and the Scholar hear the Apothecary and run over to the amassing crowd behind the wall of some poor fools house.  

“Miss Primrose please forgive i'm for calling you such rude names, if there’s anything we can do to make up for it you have my assistance.”

“No no it’s seriously okay.”

“This guys again!” Tressa starts. “What did you do this time Cyrus?” 

“I just spoke the truth.’’

“that gent hath called her a whore.”

“OH MY GOODNESS, CYRUS WHY.”

“Cause she is!’

“This conversation again.” Therion face palmed.

“We are all wasting time!” Olberic shouts silences all of us o, he stands arms folded with an annoyed look on his face. “Clearly Miss Primrose and her cohorts have somewhere they need to be, and I also have somewhere I need to be.”

“Yes, I must head to Stillsnow quickly, I cannot waste anymore time with pointless squabble.”

“Stillsnow?” Cyrus raises his eyebrows. “I’ve always wanted to vist there, I once went there as a small child. I wonder is the sweets still taste as fresh.”

“I want to head there too!” Tressa jumps with joy. “Can I come miss primrose please!”

“Wait Tressa I thought you were coming with us to victors hollow?” Alfyn questions. 

“Darn your right….Can you go for me? And tell me all about it!” 

“What?” 

“Maybe is not such a lacking idea, primrose,the sir in black, the sir in green and i shall headeth to stillsnow, letting the Thief beest on his way. "

“Sounds good to me!” Theiron thumbs up. 

“Wait wait what! Theiron is not going anywhere, if he’s a thief he has to pay for his crimes.” Ophelia says, she’s worried about the idea of letting someone like him run amok.

“Then the thief can come with us, big sword guy, Cleric a thief an a merchant! Won't that be fun!”

“No.” Theiron angry eyes her down. 

“No.” Olberic agrees

“Not paticulary.” Ophelia shifts her eyes to the right.

“Cmon it’ll be fun, and you get to keep an eye on him while we travel, no one loses.”

“I think I lose in this situation, I don’t see how this benefits me at all.”

“Shut up criminal, now lets go berg,were losing daylight!” Tressa grabs Therion and the knight arms and run off to the town exit. Opheila chases after not wanting to fall behind.

I was a bit disoriented, what had just happened in the past few minutes. I was now on my way to Stillsnow with people I barely knew. Although I knew protesting the new situation would cause even further delay, so there was no reason to cause another argument.

 

“Well then just as Tressa said, were losing daylight.” 

Hopefully this won’t be the death of me. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> AHAHA i'm sorry if it was bad near the end, this is now prep for something much better, so keep on the lookout for that.


End file.
